Means for producing a sooty vapor in electric furnaces



Dec. 11,1923. i 1,477,372

G. M. LITTLE MEANS FOR PRODUCING A SOOTY VAPOR IN ELECTRIC FURNACES Filed March 23, 1922 1579.1. 1. Tlf

WITNESSES: NVENTOR outer end of the spring 28 and traverses a,

found it highly desirable in furnaces of the.

above indicated type to provide means for producing either` a reducing atmosphere pr, more preferably, to provide a sooty vapor in the furnace chamber to protect the carbo naceous heating element 18 against the oxidizing effect of air entering through the opening 17 or along the terminal members 25 and the carbonaceous electrodes 23, or even through minute openings between the bricks or blocks of the two linings, l

A means for producing a sootyvapr in the furnace chamber comprises two pipes 34- and 35, suitably secured against the bote tom of the metallic casing i2 and registering with openings and 37, not only in the casing itself but also through the bottom wall of the two linings. A. plug 38 may be located in the lower end of each of the pipes 34: to normally close the same but to permit of ready and quick removel therefrom incase of necessity. Two supply pipes 39 and 40 are provided, one of which,V as, vfor instance, the pipe 39, may be connected to 'a suitable source of supply of ay hydro-carbonaceous gas. The pipe 4() is open at its outer end to the atmosphere. Valves. 4l are provided in cach of the pipes 39 and Ll() to suitably control 'the lamount and ratio of gas and of air permitted to enter the two pipes.

A four-Way valve 42 is connected between the inner end of the pipes 39 and lo and the pipes 34 and 35, respectively, by short lengths of pipeI ,43 and 44. An operating handle 45 permits of so adjusting thc valve that gas is permitted to liow from pipe 39 through pipe 44 into pipeI 35 and from thence through the opening iii-into the furnace chamber 1G, while, at the same time,l

air is permitted to enter through the pipe 4() and pipe 43 into the pipe 3l and from thence into the chamber '16 through the opening 36. lWhen the operating handle t5 is moved to the other of its oi'ierating positions,

the gas-from the pipe 39 is permitted toV enter the furnace chamber through the pipes 43 and 34 and-the opening 36, while air flows through pipes de and 35 and into the opening 37.

As the heating element 16 is operated at ramera a relatively high temperature, the inner lining l5 of the furnace chamber also operates at a relatively high temperature and the gas permitted toenter the. furnace chamber through either the opening 36 or 37 readily ignites and burns to produce a sooty vapor which is carried upward by such slight draft as may be caused by air entering the opening` 17 and is deposited not only upon the outside surface of the entire heating element but also upon the exposed inner ends of the electrodesll and upon the walls of the furnace chamber. As there is only a slight draft a.v as the amount of gas permitted to flow /into the furnace chamber is relatively smal, a portion. of the soot produced by the burnin1r gas is deposited in that vopening througli which gas flows into the furnace chamber and, of course, tends to choke or close up that opening. After gas has been permitted '.to flow through, say opening 37, for a certain length of time 'and it is noted that there appears to be a. deposit of carbon onthe floor of the furnace chamber immediately adjacent to or in the opening 37, the operatino' handleA 45 may be so'moved as to cause the gas to lovv into the furnace chamber through the opening 36 and this action permits air to enter the opening 37.'

The oxygen of the air combines with the sooty deposit and oxidizes the same, thereby removing the soot originally deposited by the action of the burning gas and cleaning out the opening 37. If, after a certain length of time it is noted that a deposit of soot is again visible, this time adjacent to or covering the opening 36,the four-Way Valve ymay be again moved to its other position, whereby the gas will be permitted to enter through the opening 37, which has been cleaned out by the action of the air and the air is permitted to flow through the opening 3G to remove the deposit therefrom. liv adjustment of the valves 4l inthe pipes 39 and l0, the amount of'gas and air may be suitably adjusted to meet the eierating requirements oi the furnace.

The device embodying myinvention` thus provides a relatively simple means for producing a soo'ty vapor in a furnace chamber and also provides relatively simple manually conti-climi means for alternating the flow of eas and ol' air through any7 one of the puraliiy oll openings whereby the device is operativo to produce a sooty vapor substantially continuously, while, at the same time. providing means for quickly and easily burning out any soot deposited upon or in the opening through which the gas has been flowing.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention Without` departing from the spirit `and scope thereof a nd l desire thatonly such limitations shall mman s;

@y forth th tion:

,t if; lnace cxprsng a ,"Slenlosng furnace chamwus basin-,or oeated in saic 0f entering l #le fer pei -pmucingagent @hinber tlfmugh one pipe and.

c onaceous rcesstoif located in said cilambar? praty of feed-pipes entering said chamba', :i giggle mwns for alte?- natey pezfm'bting a m'd sooty-vapor-pmm ducgng to wie? said chamba? thmugh J 1s, and a, @Xirlzng agent A. m odi@ of pipes fox removzmy awaited therein. y I1 eecmc furnace Gomprsng .alzy 015: was enclosing a, furnace Taber, av carbonaceom resistor ocaied in sul L chamber, a pmaly of feed-pipes enber, singe means for a1- zrig agent Armagh me @ik fm: $113 smi; 5.95; and means Aau regtdatmg furnace a L. er, in @omge- 31; for z'fucmg the Qxdzmnaceous resistor A a. single mams for altem hjyro-carboxaceous gas one of said. pipeg to be am? foi mymiting aix' zoen y @they said pipes to bum @my deposec?, therein by saxf bumfw 5. An eectrc mnace comi, plurality of "mios-ing chamba, said chamber? tering said cham seecwely und -.am-ay iuc? pipes.

In testzmcmy whereof, haw

-subscnbed .my mme thm 21st may 

